Convertible stock-car.



A. .WESTPHAL.

CONVERTIBLE STOCK CAR.

APPLICATION FILED MIA 23. 1909.

Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 '5; In can: 3 Q

f /fff A. WESTPHAL.

CONVERTIBLE STOCK CAR.

APPLIOATIOK run mama, 1909.

Patented Apr. 13, 1910.

3 SHEETS-$82111 2.

A. WESTPHAL.

CONVERTIBLE STOCK GAE.

APPLICATION TILED HALZS, 1909,

I Patented Apr. 19,1910.

074M $777M, 6.77%MCW f LBlZRT WESTPHAL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

.' CONVERTIBLE STOCK-CAR.

Specification oi Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

Application 'filed March 23, 1909. Serial No. 485,260.

V To -2 fl, whom it. may wncern:

Be it known that I, Ann-car Wnsrrnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bah tiinore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lonvertible Stock-Cars, of which the followin is a specification.

nlyinventionrelates-to an improvement in freight railwa cars, and more particularly to hat. class of cars known as stock cars, used for the transnortat-ion of calves, hogs, sheep, and other 1i e animals, the object being to provide a means whereby the car may be converted into sepprate pompartments for the accommodation or" animals-of small size or different kind, means beingmlso provided whereby the movable structure may be returned to its normal position again, converting the car into a single compartment or ordinary freight or cattle car.

lVith the foregoing objects in view, my invention' consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts,

which will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawin s, i'orming :1 part of this specification, in which like letters and numerals are used to designate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a long tudinal section of a car constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2. taken on the line 3-43 of Fig. 1, the adjustable floor being shown in elevated position in dot and dash lines. 4

In the drawing A indicates generally the body of.a' car constructed in accordance with my invention, the tloor 1 of which rests on sills 2, as in the ordinary construction of freight curs. When the car is to be used as a single compartment, there rests on the floor 1 a movable structure B, designed to be elevated to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, when it is desired to divide the car into two compartments. The structure B comprises a fioor 3 surmounting a frame 4.. Extending transverse of this frame i atspaeed intervals, are a number of rods 5. the ends of which are upturned and brought above the floor line where they are formed into eyes 6; secured to each eye 6 is one end of a rope, which is then taken up and over a pulley 8, said pulley being mounted in a bracket 9, the upper end of which overlaps one of the timbers of the car frame.

From the pulley 8 the re e or chain 7 goes to a drum 10, where the ot er end is secured. Said drum is secured to a longitudinal shaft 11. extending the length of the car body and is hung from the rafters thereof by strap ha ere 11 secured to said rafters. The she t 11 is supported at its ends by the framework of the car and near one end has fixed thereto, a sprocket wheel 12.

A partition 13 is spaced from one end 1d of the car and forms a pocket 15 for housing the mechanism for raising and lowering the auxiliary floor structure B.

Having bearings in a. pair of posts 16 and 17, within the pocket 15 is a shaft 18,.which projects through the end 14 of the car and has fixed thereto a hand wheel 19; also so cured to the shaft 18 is a ratchet wheel 20. and e aging therewith is a dog or pawl 21 pivote to the end 14 of the car. Secured to the shaft: 18'within the pocket 15 and in alinement with the sprocket wheel 12, is another sprocket whcel 22, a link belt 23 passing over the two sprockets 12 and 22,whereby motion is imparted from the hand wheel 19 to the drums 10, when it is desired to elevate, or lower the structure B. When said structure has been elevated a sufiieient distance, means are provided for maintaining it in such elevated position by arms 24;

said arms being secured at one end to a rock shaft 25, said shaft 25 having bearings in posts 26 of the car frame. To the free end of the arms 24 are pivoted brace members 27, said members presenting in elevation ap-' proximately an X shaped contour, the upper arms 28 of which are pivoted on a shaft-29. the opposite ends of which are secured in .two adjacent arms 24. .The lower arms 30 of the member 27 are connected by a horizontally dis osed piece 31, the ends of which are rounde as indicated at 32, and proiect into uide-ways 33, formed by strips 34 secure tothe upright posts 26.

When the ear is used as a single compartment, the brace memlycr 27 is supported from the rod 29, and is to .ded out of the way in the space formed by the posts '26; but when it is desired to support; the structure B in elevated position, the braces 27 are allowed to swing out to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the part 31 rests on the floor of the car, as shown, forming a substantial support for the structure B resting on the arms 24.

Means for operating the shaft 25, to there- 40 invention, hence I do not wish to self 'to theexact construction as herein set by-rock the arms 24 into and out of position, is located in the pocket 15, and consists of a stub shaft 35 mounted similar to the shaft 18, and provided on its extension end with ahand lever 36 and a.ratchet 37, a pawl 38 secured to the side 14 of the car coat-ting therewith. Within the pocket 15 and secured to 'the' shaft 35, is a two-armed lever 39, to the arms of which are attached one end of con necting rods 40, the other end is attached to levers 41 secured to the ends of the shafts 25. It will here be stated that by reason of the deer opening, the shafts are not extended the full length of the car body, that is, are separated at the door opening, and provision is therefore'made for operating both sections of said shafts simultaneously and,

from the same lever. To accomplish this ob-* ject, there is attached to one arm of the lever 39, one end of a rod 42, the other end being attached to a lever 43 secured to one ehd of a rock shaft 44, extending the len tlr of the car and having secured at. its other end a lever 45, which has attached to its free end 2 connecting rods 46, which are in turn attached to levers 47 secured to their respective shafts 25. The levers andwnnectmg rods at this end of the car are housed in a pocket 48 formed in this end.

door 49 is hinged at each side of the car and is of such length that when lowered will close the door opening above the supplemental lloor; hen not in use, said door is supported near the rafters by hooks 50 providcd for the purpose. i

Slight. changes and alterations might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts herein described, without departing from the spirit and scope of my unit my *forth; but

Having fully described my'invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A. convertible stock car having a movable floor independent of the floor proper, pockets at each end of the car, a plurality of rods extending transverse of the said floor, a Q longitudinal shaft extending the length of the car, and hung from the rafters thereof, a plurality of brackets secured to the upper sides of the frame of said car, a lurality of pulleys mounted therein, a

shaft, cables passing over the said pulleys and connectin the said drums with the said transverse r s of the said movable floor, means for rotating; the said drums whereby the said floor is elevated and lowered, and

means for supporting the said floor in elevated position, substantially as described.

2, A convertible stock car having a movable fioor independent of the floor proper pockets at each end of the car, a duality of urality of drums provided on the said, ongitudinalrods extending transverse of the movable floor, a longitudinal shaft extending the length of the car and suspended from the rafters thereof, a plurality of pulleys mounted in brackets secured to the upper sides of 7c the frame of said car, a plural-,y of drums secured on the said shaft, cables connecting with said drums, passing over the said pullays, the free ends thereof connecting with the said transverse rods .of the floor, means for o crating the said longitudinal shaft whermy the said floor is elevded and lowered, means for supporting the said floor in elevated position and means for operating the supporting means, substantially as de- .30

scribed.

3. A convertible stock car having a movable floor independent of the floor proper, pockets at each end of the car,-a plurality of rods extending trans verse of the movable floor, a longitudinal shaft extending the length of the car, and hung from the rafters thereof, a plurality of pullc m unted in brackets secured to the upper sides of' the frame of said car. drums secured on, said shaft, ables connected with said drums and passed over said pulleys, the free ends thereof being :ronnuctnl with the said transverse rods ol' the said movable lloor, means provided on a single end of the car for operating tho said longitudinal shaft whereby the said tloor is elevated and lowered. means -for supporting the said floor in elevated position. and uu-aus on the same end of the car as the operating means for operating the supporting means, substantially as described.

4. A convertible stock car having a mov- Jlllt lloor independent of the floor proper, pot-hots at each end of the car. a longitudinal shaft extending the length of the car, means suspemlingthe shaft from the rafters of said car, drums secured on the said shaft and spaced pie-determined distances apart, a sprocket wheel carried on one end 0 the shaft, a plurality of brackets having pulleys mounted therein, secured to the upper sides of the frame of said car, cables passing over the said pulleys, the ends of which are connected with the said drums and movable floor respectively, a shaft mounted in one end of said car and extended beyond the end. thereof, a sprocket, wheel carried thereby and in line with the sprocket wheel on the said longitudinal shaft, a link' belt connecting the said: sprocket wheels, a ratchet wheel secured on the extended end portion of said shaft, a awl sgcured on the end of the said our rame engaging with said ratchet, a hand wheel carried on the extended end of said shaft adjacent to the said ratchet wheel, whereby motion is transmitted to the said" longitudinal shaft and the said movable floor elevated and lowered, means for securing the said door in elevated positionand means provided on the same end of the car as the operating means for operating the supporting means, subsn'aniialiy as described.

5. A convertible stock car having a movable floor independent of the-floor proper. pockets at each end of the car, a longitudinal shaft extending the length of the ear and suspended from the rafters thereof, drums secured onthe shaft, asprocket wheel carried on one end of the said shaft, a plurality of brackets ha ing pulleys mounted therein; secured to the upper side:-; of the ear frame, means passin over said pulleys connecting with the said drums and movahie floor, a plurality of arm supports secured to the sides of the car :rame, a rock shaft means connecting the arid arm: an rock shaft, a

stub shaft mounted in posts in one eml of the car, a ratchet wheel secured on the endportion of the said shaftexterior of the end of the car, a pawl secured on the end of the car frame engaging witlrthe said ratchet, means connecting the rock shaft with th stub shaft, a lever secured on the free end oi the stub shaft for imparting motion to the said rock shatwhereby the said sup orts are operated, and mechanism provide on th same end of the said car frame for elevating and lowering the said movable floor, sulst'intially as described.

In testimony whereof -I affix my signniui: in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT VVESTPILU \Vitnesses:

i E. WALTON Banw No'roN,

MARY M. Maztnaw. 

